Big 10 honors St. Clair graduate

Paul Costanzo

The Grand Rapids Griffins are a win away from the Western Conference finals in the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Playoffs.

This is fun for two reasons for Blue Water Area residents:

1. This is the Red Wings AHL affiliate - you should probably be a Red Wings fan - and this means that some of the Wings' prospects are doing well while getting valuable playoff experience;

2. Marysville's Chad Billins is on the team, and after having a very successful rookie season, he's continuing to contribute to the Griffins' success.

Game 6 of the Griffins' Western Conference semifinal series against the Marlies is at 7 p.m. today in Toronto. Game 7, if necessary, would be at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Toronto.

The Griffins lead the series 3-2, and had a 3-1 series lead with a chance to close things out at home on Saturday, but lost 4-1.

Billins has one goal and two assists in the series, all coming in a Game 1 rout by the Griffins. For the playoffs, he has one goal and four assists, and is a plus-5.

As for those other Red Wings prospects? They're playing well, as you would expect on a team that's one game away from the AHL's final four.

Tomas Tatar and Landon Ferraro are tied for the team lead in points with nine. Tatar has six goals, while Ferraro has two. Luke Glendenning, who, like Billins, does not have a contract with the Red Wings, is tied with them, and has four goals.

Tomas Jurco (four goals) and Riley Sheahan (one goal) each have eight points, while Jan Mursak (four goals) has seven. Mursak is also a plus-8.

What about the Wings' biggest need, defensemen? Billins is tied for the points among defensemen on the team in points, with Adam Almquist (three goals) and Nathan Paetsch. Both of those defensemen are plus-6 in the playoffs, but only Almquist is on contract with the Wings.

If the Griffins advance, they will play the Cleveland Barons, who eliminated Jack Campbell's Texas Stars. Campbell did not see time in the playoffs, as veteran Christopher Nilstorp started all nine of the team's playoff games.

Cronenworth earns Big Ten honor

Michigan freshman and St. Clair graduate Jacob Cronenworth is the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for baseball.

He had six hits, including a pair of doubles, in four games for the Wolverines. He drove in three runs, scored five others, and had two stolen bases. He also earned a save in a win against Nebraska, his seventh of the season.

The Wolverines meet Nebraska again on Wednesday in the Big Ten Tournament opener.